Belt for candy-batch rollers



July 13,1937. .E.F.MAYER 2 Z 2,087,212

BELT FOR CANDY BATCH ROLLERS Filed Nov. 16, 1934 Ira/6725f Y Ear FMcz er;

Patented July 13, 1937 UNITED STATES rarer Fries BELT FOR CANDY-BATCH ROLLERS ration of Illinois Application November 16, 1934, Serial No. 753,255

9 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in belts for candy-batch rollers of the type disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 987,785, granted March 28, 1911 to Nathaniel W. York. In machines of this type,

the belts which support and work the batch of candy are subjected to very trying influences, and such belts of the type heretofore employed have generally had but very short life.

A general object of the present invention is to provide for such machines an improved belt which will have greater durability than has been had by those generally in use heretofore.

Another object is the provision of an improved belt for such machines which will run true and 5 with uniform speed throughout its length.

Yet another object is the provision of such improved belt which may be manufactured economically.

Other and further objects of the invention will be pointed out or indicated hereinafter 'or will be apparent to one skilled in the art upon its employment in use.

For the purpose of aiding in an explanation of the invention, I show in the drawing forming a 25 part of this specification, and hereinafter describe, certain forms and constructions of belts embodying the invention, but it is to be understood that these are presented merely for purpose of illustration and are not to be construed 30 in any fashion calculated to limit the appended claims short of the true and most comprehensive scope of the invention in the art.

In said drawing,

Fig. 1 is a more or less diagrammatic illus- 35 tration in the nature of a medial longitudinal sectional elevation of portions of a candy-batch roller;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the belt and its sup porting rollers, same being taken from the lower end of the machine, and is on a scale somewhat larger than Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail in the nature of a plan or surface View of a marginal portion of a belt containing features of my invention;

45 Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a portion of a belt containing features of my invention;

Fig. 5 is a similar sectional view of a modified form; and

Fig. 6 is a detail in the nature of a sectional view of end portions of an edging band prepared for splicing.

As is known in the art, candy-batch rollers of the type above referred to are characterized by the employment of an endless belt which is car- 55ried on and actuated by rollers, the rollers being somewhat closer together at one end than at the other, but the belt being of uniform peripheral extent. The batch of candy is supported on the upper traverse of the belt which, because of the converging relationship of the rollers, takes a 6 sagging form under the weight of the batch, the extent of the sag decreasing progressively in the divergent direction of the rollers. Radiant heat is projected onto the belt and onto the batch of candy thereon, to maintain the latter in proper 1 workable condition. The rollers are rotated to transmit the belt and thus impart to the batch a rolling motion, incident to which the candy maker gradually draws out the batch into the form of a thin strand of suitable diameter to be severed into sticks or pieces. From time to time the direction of travel of the belt, and hence the rotation of the batch, is reversed. In the use of the machine, the belt tends to creep longitudinally of the rollers. Sometimes this creepage is downwardly of the sloping rollers, under weight of the batch, and sometimes it is upwardly of the slope, under the pull exerted on the batch by the candy maker as he draws out the candy. The belt is thus subjected to varying stresses tending to stretch it circumferentially, and is also subjected to abrasion on its margins by portions of the roller frame at the ends of the rollers. These and other circumstances attending the use of the machine, such as the heat towhich the belt is subjected and the frequent reversals of the travel of the belt, tend to weaken and wear it and cause rapid disintegration.

In Fig. 1, the reference numeral l0 designates end frame portions of the machine, ll one of the rollers which are arranged in sloping and divergent positions, and I2 the belt which is carried on the rollers. The belt comprises a tubular body portion M which may be either woven in endless form or fabricated by joining the ends of a suitable sheet of fabric. For convenience of designation, I will refer to the dimension from margin to margin of the belt as its length, and the dimension at right angles thereto as its width. The length of the belt is customarily considerably greater than its width, the length usually being six to eight feet, and the width eighteen to twenty-four inches. Preferably the belt is made of a fabric in the nature of heavy duck webbing, and it is to be observed incidentally that in the drawing the thickness of the fabric is somewhat exaggerated relative to the other dimensions, for clearness in illustration. i

In the forming of my improved belt, the marginal portions of the tubular body portion l4 of the belt are turned back to form hems of substantial width, this turned-back portion being designated by the character Ma. Over this turned-back portion is applied an edging strip 15 of heavy and firm fabric preferably having both edges selvaged, the outer edge of this strip being disposed approximately even with the fold of the hem. This edging strip is applied smoothe ly to the belt, and its ends are spliced together to form a continuous constraining band. One manner in which the ends of the strip may be prepared for splicing is illustrated in Fig. 6, wherein the reference character 15a designates warp threads and the reference character l5b designates filler or weft threads. The strip having been originally somewhat longer than the peripheral extent of the body portion of the belt, the weft threads are removed for a short distance from the ends, leaving the end portions of the warp threads extending, and these end portions of the warp threads are frayed so as to remove some of the fibers. The ends of the strip are then placed together with the frayed ends ofthe warp threads overlapping the adjacent portions of the fabric which are not raveled, and the overlapping portions are then sewed together by transverse lines of stitches It, said stitches extending also through the hem and the underlying parts of the belt body portion. This forms a splice which is quite flexible in the circumferential direction and which does not materially increase the total thickness of the structure. The edging strip, hem and belt body portion are then sewed together by marginal lines of stitches ll running circumferentially and intermediate circumferentially running lines of stitches l8.

The'hem and edging strip may be thus applied on either the inner side of the body portion or on the outer side thereof or one on each side. If applied on the inner side, they will project inwardly to a substantial extent beyond the inner surface of the body portion, as the fabrics are of substantial thickness. If applied on the outer side of the body portion, they may cause a slight puckering of the marginal portions of the latter, due to the turning back of the hem. In order that the belt may run true on the rollers, it should be of uniform internal circumferential extent throughout its length. Accordingly, after the edging has been formed as above described, I stretch it circumferentially so that its inner surface may be uniform with that of the belt body portion. Fig. 4 illustrates the completed edging wherein the hem and edging strip are applied to the inner side of the-belt body portion, and Fig. 5 illustrates a completed edging structure wherein the hem and edging strip are applied to the outer side of the belt body portion. By Virtue of the construction above described, my improved belt has substantially greater durability than those of types heretofore employed, under like conditions of use. The edging strip forms an endless constraining band which, in combination with the other elements of structure, effectively resists circumferential stretching of the end portions of the belt. In addition to providing an edge which is more resistant to abrasion and fraying, the edging structure contributes substantial longitudinal stiffnesswhich .prevents the edges being buckled. or turned in-' wardly or outwardly when the belt rides against either of the frame members l0 consequent upon its creeping longitudinally of the rollers. Accordingly, the edging structure provides an effective stop against the creeping movement.

Even though the edge portion may be Worn down by grinding against the frame member to the extent that the hem fold is worn through, the end portions of the belt are effectively retained against flaring, and the fraying of the worn portions is limited by the several circumferential lines of stitching. Since the edging portion has had a substantial proportion of the extensibility of the component fabrics removed by the preliminary stretching, they are not susceptible to being stretched or flared in use of the machine, and serve to relieve the belt body portion of stretching forces. Hence the belt is particularly qualified to retain its proper circumferential size throughout its length, and consequently torun true on the rollers without one end getting ahead of the other or of the intermediate portion in such fashion as to cause wrinkles, which are particularly subject to wear. By virtue of these various characteristics my improved belt is qualified for a relatively long life and more certain operation in the use of the machine.

What I claim is:

1. A belt for a candy-batch rolling machine inforcing part comprising a folded-back hem of substantial Width and an edging strip of strongfleXible material disposed one over the other and sewed to the body portion by circumferentially running lines of stitches, the edging strip being continuous circumferentially of the body portion and having its outer margin approximately even with the hem fold, and the rows of stitches being arranged at intervals across the edging strip and securing the plies in close surface contact one with another, the portions comprised in said reinforcing part being in a prestretched condition circumferentially and said reinforcing part being substantially stiffer than the body portion in the directions longitudinally of. the latter.

2. A belt for a candy-batch rolling machine comprising a tubular body made of fabric and having at each end thereof a three-ply reinforcing part comprising a folded-back hem of substantial width and an edging strip of strong flexible material disposed one over the other and sewed to the body by circumferentially running lines of stitches, the edging strip being continuous circumferentially of the body portion and having its outer margin approximately even with the hem fold, and the rows of stitches being arranged at intervals across the edging strip and securing the plies in close surface contact one with another; said reinforcing part being substantially stiffer than the body in the directions longitudinally of the latter and being of an inner circumferential size the same as that of the body.

3. A belt for a candy-batch rolling machine comprising a tubular body portion made of fabric and having at the end thereof a three-ply reinforcing part comprising a folded-back hem of substantial Width and an edging strip of strong flexible material disposed one over the other and sewed to the body portion by circumferentially running lines of stitches, the edging strip being continuous circumferentially of the body portion, and the rows of stitches being arranged at intervals across the edging strip and securing the plies in close surface contact one with another, said reinforcing part being in a stretched condition circumferentially so that its inner circumferential size is the same as that of the body portion.

4. A belt as specified in claim 3 and wherein the edging strip has a spliced portion sewed to the hem and body portion by lines of stitches running transversely of the edging strip.

5. A belt as specified in claim 3 and wherein the edging strip is a closely woven fabric having both edges sclvaged.

6; A belt for a candy-batch roller machine comprising a tubular body portion made of fabric 10 and having at each of its ends a hem and circumferentially extending edging strip of substantial width sewed to it by circumferentially running lines of stitches distributed across the edging strip, said belt being of uniform internal circumference 15 from end to end so that it will run evenly from end to end on the rollers of the machine.

'7. A belt as specified in claim 6 and wherein the edging strip is in circumferentially stretched condition.

20 8. A belt for a candy-batch roller comprising a tubular body portion made of fabric and having at its end a circumferentially continuous edging strip of substantial width sewed to the body portion by lines of stitches distributed across said edging strip, said edging strip and the part of the body portion which it covers forming a reinforcing structure which is of the same internal circumference as the body portion and pliable circumferentially but relatively stiff longitudinally of the belt and which resists circumferential stretching of the belt.

9. A belt for a candy-batch roller machine comprising a body portion made of fabric and having at its end a hem and a circumferentially extending edging strip of fabric, the filling threads being removed from the end portions of said edging strip, and the end portions of the warp threads being raveled and overlapped upon the opposite end portions of the strip, said raveled portions of the warp threads being sewed to said opposite end portions of the edging strip and to the hem and body portion by lines of stitches running transversely of the edging strip, and the edging strip being sewed to the hem and body by circumferentially running lines of stitches distributed across the edging strip.

EARL F. MAYER. 

